From Bad Barbarians into Good Romans? Themistius and The Case of The Goths in The Fourth Century

Abstract

In this article, I examine the Constantinopolitan rhetorician and philosopher Themistius and his speeches in the context of changing Romano-Gothic relations from the 360s to the 380s–from the policies of Valens (364–378) to those of Theodosius I (379–395). The changes in Themistius’s rhetoric and imagery of barbarians illustrate the fluctuating policies of the Roman government before and after the infamous Battle of Hadrianople in 378. I show that the concept of ‘the barbarian’ was versatile and could be modified in varying ways for different purposes. Themistius’s orations reflect not only tensions in the Roman attitudes toward barbarians–which ranged from fear to arrogance to benevolence–but also simply what was thought of as useful strategies at various specific times. I also analyze recruitment and accommodation policies in the preceding centuries and compare them with the arguments and exempla that Themistius uses to advocate the settlement of barbarians. I contextualize Themistius’s rhetoric within earlier imperial policy on the utility of moving people into the Empire.